I. ˈpre-shər noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin pressura, from Latin, action of pressing, pressure, from pressus, past participle of premere
Date: 14th century
1.
a. : the burden of physical or mental distress
b. : the constraint of circumstance : the weight of social or economic imposition
2. : the application of force to something by something else in direct contact with it : compression
3. archaic : impression , stamp
4.
a. : the action of a force against an opposing force
b. : the force or thrust exerted over a surface divided by its area
c. : electromotive force
5. : the stress or urgency of matters demanding attention : exigency
people who work well under pressure
6. : the force of selection that results from one or more agents and tends to reduce a population of organisms
population pressure
predation pressure
7. : atmospheric pressure
8. : a sensation aroused by moderate compression of a body part or surface
• pres·sure·less adjective
II. transitive verb
( pres·sured ; pres·sur·ing ˈpre-sh(ə-)riŋ)
Date: 1938
1. : to apply pressure to
2. : pressurize
3. : to cook in a pressure cooker